Community land trusts: a proactive and preventive tool for communities of color
Date
2022
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Low-income urban communities face numerous challenges affecting housing stability, growth of wealth, and exposure to climate change. These challenges have been instigated and institutionalized by policies and practices aimed at disempowering and dispossessing poor people of color. Traditional solutions to these long-standing problems often fail and end up perpetuating these issues. This paper explores whether community leaders of three poor Black communities in Baltimore view the non-traditional community land trust as a valuable tool that would help their neighborhoods secure land, assets, power, and control of community legacies. A research methodology and accompanying theoretical Community Land Trust Efficacy Framework are offered so that communities can assess whether community land trusts are right for them, and so that further research may be conducted on this topic. Tenets of the community land trust (CLT) framework are a sound organizational foundation; a focused geographic area; commitment to stakeholder relationships; homeowner and community support; assistance with wealth and asset building; community organization; sustainable, long-term, community-centered mission; and community control of land and development. The paper closes with recommendations on future research and details requiring consideration.
Description
Keywords
Community land trust, Environmental justice, Land equity, Low-income housing, Social justice, Sustainable housing